Also, how Gatsby's relationship with Daisy changed over the course of the chapter and what factors contributed to this?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Chapter 5 (again)
This chapter is filled with many “awkward moments,” as Daisy and Gatsby meet for the first time after 5 years of separation. Comment on evidence in chapter 5 that illuminates both Daisy’s and Gatsby’s different perceptions of love, and how their actions and backgrounds affect their relationship. Also, feel free to include and discuss the tensions we talked about in class on Thursday (pink sheet) like time, light, status, etc that effect Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship.
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I was just about to say go ahead and post--thanks.
ReplyDeleteKara, I'll respond to your question since no one else as yet (except for Ms. Parrish).
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in the question, this chapter is filled with numerous awkward moments, and I actually laughed a few times reading it. (I felt really bad for Nick having to sit through the meeting and bonding time of Gatsby and Daisy). I think that the tensions we talked about it class definitely apply to the awkwardness of the conversations, and add to the structure of some of the comments that are involved in the chapter. Following the rainstorm, the threesome is staring out the window, and Daisy cries, "Come here quick!" "The rain was still falling, but the darkness had parted in the west, and there was a pink and golden billow of foamy clouds above the sea." "Look at that..." (Fitz 99). The rosy light vs. darkness adds to the atmosphere of the scene, and I thought that this description was absolutely beautiful. It fully added to the romantic aspect of the chapter. Fitzgerald has thus far created the loveliest image of a couple completely in love (Gatsby and Daisy) which is a great contrast to, say, Daisy and Tom's horrible relationship?! It made me giggle a bit when Daisy said, "Who is Tom?" while she was speaking to Nick on the phone.
Adding to this, I perceived Gatsby to be more romantic out of the pair. He Went to such great lengths to see Daisy, and once they met again, he was extremely awkward. "'I certainly am awfully glad to see you again'" A pause; it endured horribly... 'We've met before' muttered Gatsby" (91). At this point, Daisy is horribly confused as to who this "creepy" man is...but then later, she is full of "unexpected joy".
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between the two characters is absolutely beautiful; I love reading about it, and it made me really happy when Gatsby and Daisy were finally reunited!
I have to finish this after i eat dinner... but before I end this one, I jsut want to say that when Gatsby says, "You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock" (98) I got REALLY excited, and wrote in huge letters haha. I think that it represents the past...and I'll expand on that more when I come back! i have a lot to say about this chapter.
Gatsby's an awkward guy. That's all I have to say on the matter. Textual evidence? Bah.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Larissa, that the relationship between the two characters is very unique which makes their love beautiful. Adding on to Larissa's idea, when Daisy cries, "Come here quick!" "The rain was still falling, but the darkness had parted in the west, and there was a pink and golden billow of foamy clouds above the sea." "Look at that..." (Fitz 99). This contrast between the rosy color and the black, also seem to represent their past together. The instant I read this quote, I realized that it was talking about the last time the two met. When Gatsby went off to fight in the war, and Daisy was forced to stay home, under her father's commands. The black sky represents the war and the dangerous journey that Gatsby followed, while the pink sky represents Daisy's path of calmness and tranquility in her home. These two colors are reunited, as are Daisy and Gatsby and combine into this gorgeous combination in the night sky.
ReplyDeleteI believe the reason why Gatsby is so awkward is that he hasn't truly loved a woman in so long, that he feels as though he doesn't know what to say or what to do in front of Daisy. However, I truly believe that after time spent with her, he warmed up and as their relationship (hopefully) continues on throughout the book, there will be less awkward situations between the two. To include Parrish's favorite quote, Fitzgerald writes, "No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart" (Fitzgerald 96). I view this quote as saying that after Gatsby realizes that he lives a lonely life and is willing to begin a new 'chapter' of his life, nothing will stop him from attaining his desire.
ReplyDeletebtw. ms. parrish whats ur cats name?
ReplyDeleteFor Gatsby:
ReplyDelete"'Is everything all right?' he asked immediately," (89)
"Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes," (91)
"'You're acting like a little boy,'" (93)
"He literally glowed; without a word or a gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room," (94)
"He had passed visibly through two states and was entering upon a third. After his embarrassment and his unreasoning joy he was consumed with wonder at her presence. He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock," (97)
Gatsby's perception of this reuniting and new love between him and Daisy seems to turn into an understanding that everything must be perfect and everything must be as it was in his dreams. Unfortunately, it also appears that Gatsby really only chose to dream rather than act and so when the big opportunity comes he acts like he is at a middle-school dance. Nevertheless, when everything does begin to take a turn for the better (whether the turning point is the sun coming out or the actual act of him talking to her is debatable), he realizes that it indeed is his dream coming to fruition and thus begins to act out his dream to the best of his ability. At times, he may have been a little exuberant (i.e. his random Show & Tell of shirts), but it all comes back to what Gatsby dreamed of and the idyllic situation.
Perhaps this is what the green light really represented to Gatsby - the perfect world that Gatsby could always see within his reach, but can never quite grasp until now. Not just Daisy, but all his unrealized hopes and dreams.
Brooke: If you guess, you will never get it.
ReplyDeleteHer name is Ringling. My 9th grade English teacher gave her to me. She has brothers named Barnum and Bailey. She has a black ring around her tail.
ReplyDeleteGeorge--but does he really have that world now?
Brooke, I really liked what you said about the black and rosy combining in the sky-- I was going to mention that in this post. The colors definitely have a deep contrast, and when they come together in the sky, I thought that it could signify a new beginning. George, I agree with what you said about the green light, that it represents his perfect world. Adding onto that, I thought that maybe the image of the perfect world could have been forgotten when he admitted to Daisy that he knew about the Green Light in relation to where her home was? Just a thought, I might be wrong. However, supporting this claim, Fitz. writes, "Possibly it had occurred to him the colossal significance of the light had now vanished forever...it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her" (98).
ReplyDeleteThis is sort of random, and hasn't been mentioned yet, but I think that the song that Mr. Klipspringer played on the piano is quite significant. Even the title "The Love Nest" has happy connotations of a promised love.
"Just a love nest, cozy and warm,
Like a dove breast, down on the farm,
A veranda with some sort of clinging vine,
Then a kitchen where some rambler roses twine;
In a small room, tea set of blue,
There's the ball room, dream room for two,
Better than a palace with a gilded dome,
Is the love nest you can call home!"